Government of Inoroth
The Government of Inoroth runs the Kingdom of Inoroth, passes laws, and shapes policy. The sum total of the legislatures, executives, judiciaries, and bureaucracies are considered the Government of Inoroth. To pass a law, the King and one other legislature and executive from the same class, or three of the four other classes' legislatures and executives must approve it. Unless all four of the other legislatures and executives sign the law, the King may unilaterally overturn it at his discretion. Otherwise, the process of overturning a law requires the King and one other classes' legislature and executive, or three of the other classes' to veto it. While the decision making processes of the Inorothian State are often a nebulous and complex affair with much informal bartering, many of the bodies themselves have a clear and concrete composition. The Five Classes of Citizenship in Inoroth A thorough understanding of how Inorothian Society is divided is essential to understanding its government. There are five recognized classes of citizenship in Inoroth: Royalty, Nobility, Clergy, Businessmen/Burgesses, and Commoners/Populate. Each have their own duties and privileges. In legal matters, the King possesses veto power over the other four, and is often categorized as the high executor over the others. Unlike similar class-system models, there is considerable mobility between the classes -- though the nobility and king are more restrictive -- and it is very common for Inorothians to possess multiple classes of citizenship simultaneously. A person with noble blood who becomes a priest, for example, would be considered a citizen of both the Clergy and the Nobility, eligible to vote for and be voted/appointed to offices in both the Priestly and Nobleman's Governmental Bodies. Likewise, a commoner who reaches the wealth requirement may qualify for both Burgess and/or Populate classes. However, while a citizen may vote in as many elections as they qualify for, they may hold a position in government representing only one class at a time. It is also worth noting that citizens of the Frontier Marches and Colonies are not considered citizens of Inoroth, but have certain treaty rights such as freedom of movement and right to fair trial. Royalty and The Crown Both the King and Queen make up the Royalty, with both executive and legislative responsibilities, Royalty always come from the Nobility class, and have citizenship in it. Governor's Council, Gentleman's House, and the Grand Premier Il Nuncio Delle Fede and the Council of Arch Burgesses Representative and the Businessman's League Prime Minister and the Commoner's House Political Subdivisions Domestically the lowest complete level of government is the County (or District, in the case of larger cities). Counties may contain unintegrated land, small towns, and/or villages, while Districts contain city streets and blocks. Several counties are arranged into a Duchy (or Free City, in the case of certain cities), which are in turn grouped into Provinces. Each provincial/state government retains considerable autonomy under the National/Federal Government, though the latter theoretically has far wider powers than it currently executes. Some territories do not fall under the Inorothian Government but are Crown possessions directly under the King. Called the "Marche Frontire" or the "Frontier Marches", or sometimes the "Familiar Realms" or "Entrusted Realms" these principalities have their own Royal Governments that are usually much less structured, generally leaving the rule of a country to selected members of the native population. Oversight by an Inorothian Official usually starts at the level of Royal Cities in urban areas and Royal Departments in rural ones (both comparable to a Duchy back home). These are both grouped into Stewardships, which are almost independent countries whose Governors are beholden to the Crown alone for direction. • King - (Royalty) One man who is able to both create and enforce laws. He is widely respected as the one who brings all other classes together, and the public perception of him is one of awe and respect. He is not viewed as a political individual, but instead is seen as trans-political, representing the interests of everyone in his domains. He is also traditionally responsible for international diplomacy and the management of colonies. Should he marry a noblewoman who is of sufficient rank, she becomes the Queen with all the rights and privileges therein. Otherwise, his wife would become a Princesses Consort, and the position of Queen would be left vacant. • Queen - (Royalty) A largely ceremonial position, the Queen does not usually take part in Inorothian Politics, but she is the traditional Overseer of the Governor's Council, and some more ambitious Queens have actively and effectively used this position to gain considerable power and influence. Her title is simply "Queen", not "Queen Consort", as she has official reigning powers alongside her husband. In the absence of a suitable male heir in the Royal Line, the eldest female in the line becomes a Queen Regent, with all the rights and duties of the King. Should she then marry a nobleman who is of sufficient rank, he becomes the King Consort and does not reign. Otherwise, her husband would become Prince Consort. The Queen is also highly respected by the Inorothian Public. • King's Council - (Mixed) Composed of the Grand Premier, a representative from the Nuncio Della Fede, The Burgesses Representative, the Prime Minister, Representatives from Colonial Governors, and many other Ministers and Advisors, this body facilitates interaction and discussion between the four classes of people, mediated by the King. All ministers and advisors, with the exception of the four mentioned above, are appointed by the King, usually in such a way as to provide a balanced membership, one that placates each class in turn. This body also is a primary conduit of information to the King about various issues and problems in Inoroth, and how the various classes perceive the state of the Kingdom. The King's Council is sometimes equated to when other Monarchs 'hold court', though it is a much less public and lavish an affair, without many of the formalities. • Governor's Council - (Nobility) Composed exclusively of the Provincial Governors and equivalent Provincial Executive Heads of Inoroth, this executive body is chiefly responsible for interprovincial commerce and cooperation within the mainland, and is usually the primary arbiter of disputes among the Provinces. A very respected body, they are nearly exclusively well qualified for their positions. The Queen is the Ceremonial Overseer, and she also helps keep the body in order and can cast a tie-breaking vote. As a note, Royal Stewaards from the Foreign Marches are considered foreign Heads of Government and do not participate in this council in any official capacity. • Grand Premier - (Nobility) One man, elected by the Gentleman's House, he is the official voice of the Nobility to the King. This position has waned in power over the years, just as the power of the Nobleman Class, though there is still considerable power in and respect for the Grand Premier. • Gentleman's House - (Nobility) Composed of one representative of noble blood, its composition is... muddled. Some Counties and Duchies have abolished their domestic nobility completely, while others have an abundance of competing claims to various positions. There is no nice ratio or method for accounting for the selection process, and the number of members in the Gentleman's House fluctuates between about 250 and 400 members on a given cycle, depending on what the Rules Committee decides on that year. The Gentleman's House (or Lord's Council as it is sometimes called,) is often regarded as the place where noblemen with nothing better to do go to be with like-minded nobles, and often men seek the office more for a trophy and less for the civil service. Although some important business is done in the house on a regular basis, and all of the Provincial Governors are members and many of the representatives are serious about their work, the not-entierly-unfounded public perception of the body is that it is full of carousers and party-goers who are out of touch with reality. • Nuncio Della Fede - (Clergy) The Nuncio Della Fede, roughly translated as "Announcer of the Faith" or "Bearer of the Word", is the head of the "Via Santissimo" or "Way of Sainthood" (Rothian Catholic Church) generally respected by the "Veri Pilgrami" or "True Pilgrims (Catholics), while distrusted and sometimes even hated by the "Buoni Vicini" or "Good Neighbors" (Protestants) and members of other religious groups. Il Nuncio is no longer technically an executive position, and his few political powers are secondary and ceremonial. In turn, he is not considered subject to the King's temporal power, often called a 'dignitary without country' whenever present in Inoroth. Despite this, he wields considerable persuasive power over his followers, as they see him as the highest manifestation of the divine. For the less spiritual, he also possesses considerable wealth, and few risk crossing him openly. • Council of the Arch Primarchs - (Clergy) Each Province has an Arch Primarch, and these thirty-five leaders are collectively known as 'The Council of Arch Primarchs’, making up the highest level of the Way of Sainthood's temporal power. They usually do not deliberate 'secular' laws, but focus on laws involving morality and societal welfare, such as gambling laws, drinking laws, divorce laws, and so on. However, their abstinence from secular laws is a traditional, not an institutional, limitation, and there have been numerous cases where the Council has voted for laws of a non-traditional nature to secure the King's inability to revoke them, and in the few times where they have done so, the Council has usually been rewarded by the other Class Legislatures with their own agenda being passed. Opinions of this Council are usually dependent on one's opinion of the Via Santissimo as a whole. Arch Primarchs elect the next Nuncio when the current one dies/resigns, so they both select the head of the Santissimo and, once he is in power, are ruled by him. In extreme cases, however, they can call for a special session to oust a him for poor conduct and misdeeds, though such action required the agreement of all Arch Primarchs. • Primarchs, Elders, and Guides - (Clergy) These men are appointed by the Nuncio to oversee smaller aspects of the Santissimo. Guides oversee churches, Elders oversee cities, and Primarchs oversee Duchies. • Burgesses Representative - (Burgesses) Executive of the League, he presides over all official meetings and also presents business interests at the King's Counsel. Oftentimes it's not the actual powers vested in him, but his backer's money behind him that make this position so powerful. A Representative may be powerful in his own right, but it is not uncommon for him to merely be a tool or puppet for the ambitions of some or all of the Golden Council's members. • Businessman's League - (Burgesses) Assembly of prominent businessmen where the only requirement for entry is a net worth of 75,000 Roths (a significant sum). While traditionally commoners by blood, these men (and women) often have separate interests, and, in times of old, pushed for separate legal recognition to increase their political clout. Nobles of sufficient net worth also qualify for the league, as does an occasional church official or two. Many simply ignore their membership in the league, more interested in maintaining the businesses that enabled them to qualify in the first place, and many more only show up every other year to vote for the Burgesses Representative, ignoring the day-to-day matters and often elitist elbow rubbing subculture. As such, most of the power in the League is concentrated in the b'Golden Council'/b, an informal club within the League composed of a core of the most powerful, wealthy, and politically involved in Inoroth. • Prime Minister - (People) Elected by popular vote by the people, the Prime Minister is the 'Vox Populi, 'Voice of the People'. He is the most powerful non-nobleman in Inoroth while in his term, and can be very effective at achieving real progress in the living conditions of the poor. Although not elected by the Commoner's House, he is responsible to keep the King abreast of the going's on in the House, and is often seen sitting in on the meetings at his special gallery seat. He is also often entrusted with managing most of the King's Governmental Ministers, though the King customizes which Ministries each Prime Minister controls based on his own metric, and is no beholden to turn management of any Ministries over to him. Many of the people see him as a savior, but most nobles see him as base, pandering to the mob and undeserving of the power he wields. • Commoner's House - (People) The People's Class has risen in power over the centuries, and it now is possibly the busiest class as far as legislation is concerned. With a Representative for every 150,000 people, The Commoner's House is the legislative body that is closest to the people, and also the most fluid and politically unstable body. Alliances materialize and vanish overnight, depending on which issues are at vote, and though a few members are 'career politicians', most are ousted by the next election cycle or two. It is a powerful force for reform when organized, but it's lack of cohesion usually results in squabbling and infighting. • Entrusted Realms: (Special) -The Entrusted Realms are under the Crown and at at the first tier of citizenship. They are not integrated into Inorothian customs or culture and have not assimilated an Inorothian identity. Royal Stewards rule with the fewest restrictions, often passing to laws and policies that would be illegal in Inorothian law, so long all is done in the Crown's interests. Efforts are made to bring Inorothian cultural and ideological aspects to these polities through education, immigration, economic investment, and religion, but progress has not gone far enough to move to Familiar Realm status. There once were many of these nations, but over time most have either been assimilated or broken free, so that only the Marche of Nill remains. • Familiar Realms: - (Special) The Familiar Realms are the Frontier Marches under the Crown who are at the second tier of citizenship, nearing entry as full-fledged Inorothians. Royal Stewards are still freer to act than the Provincial Governor counterparts, but many of their powers are checked in recognition of the cultural embrace made by many of the natives. Familiar Realms are organized so that trade and diplomacy between Inoroth and these entities can be as streamlined and aligned as possible. There are several institutions founded to facilitate this, dealing with trade, development, investment and infrastructure, customs and immigration, merging of a united foreign policy, and so on. Currently the Merlo Islands are the only ones to fall under this category. Judicial: There is one Supreme Court, composed of two appointees from each class and one appointee from the King, and every Court Member must be approved by all five of the classes' executives, and can be removed by an order signed by all five of the classes' executives. Provincial Courts are usually (but not always) patterned after the Supreme Court, although they often have only one appointee per class, rather than two. The Lower Courts are created differently, but are usually broken down into Circuit Courts (Civil) and Police Courts (Criminal), though different names are often used and in some counties both Civil and Criminal Cases are managed by one Court. Courts in the Marches are all appointed by the Crown through the Royal Stewards. Commoner's House Commoner's House - (People) The Freeman's Class has risen in power over the centuries, and it's legislature is now possibly the most prolific writer of new law proposals. With 740 Representatives (one for every 150,000 people) and elections every two years, The Commoner's House is the legislative body that is closest to the people, and also the most fluid and politically unstable. Alliances materialize and vanish overnight, depending on which issues are at vote, and though a few members are 'career politicians', most are ousted by the next election cycle or two. It is a powerful force for reform when organized, but it's lack of cohesion usually results in squabbling and infighting. The 1890 Election saw the formation of three major coalitions leading up to the vote, with following results for the main parties right to left: Radical Royalists (Purple - 12 Seats) The Radical Royalists' main goal is the strengthening of the Monarchy. They support increased centralization, more absolute right of rule, an elitist/anti-egalitarian view of government, distrust of democratizing in all its forms, and most members are supportive of the Santissimo and (less often) the Buoni Vicini. They also support an expansionistic, even jingoistic foreign policy, calling for the annexation of former Rothian Imperial territories like Abelardy, Quibella, and Fanaglia, as well as colonial ambitions abroad. Their base consists primarily of some intellectuals, military officers, nobles, and disaffected voters. Fratelli d’Inoroth (Black - 15 Seats) Essentially a Fascist Movement, the Fratelli d'Inoroth are focused on Nationalism. They support the nationalization of critical industries, mass mobilization of the unemployed for civil works during economic downturns, an all encompassing state from policies about morality to science to art. They are also war hawks and rather xenophobic, especially of non-Svalheim/Eiren peoples. Their base depends on how well people view the current economic situation, and they tend to draw more support when there is economic trouble, less so when times are good. Traditionalist League (Dark Purple - 33 Seats) In a word, the Traditionalist League is Classically Conservative. They resist all radical change and support the status quo, with cautious economic and foreign policies and a strong emphasis on order and stability. Although not anti-religious, there is not a very strong religious platform as many in the party consider themselves rationalist or secular in their politics. Their base is strongest among the middle class, nobility, and rural voters, and they tend to do better when the economy is doing well. Tradesmens Alliance (Yellow - 21 Seats) The Tradesmens Alliance was founded to draw a political distinction between the interests of unskilled workers and those of skilled workers. The party seeks to protect the craftsman's way of life by advocating for higher protective tariffs, opposing uncompetitive collectivization and monopolies, and strengthening the traditions of guilds and industry standards. They are fairly conservative, and seek to preserve their niche from both management and unskilled assembly-line production methods alike. Their base consists of skilled tradesmen, small business owners, shop keepers, and anyone who fears they might lose their middle class job to either unskilled labor or unfair employer policies. Southern League (Grey - 47 Seats) A regional/cultural party, the Southern League tends to view the North of Inoroth as backwards and undeveloped, and seeks to both preserve its own culture of productivity and scientific methods in business, and to expand it to the rest of Inoroth. Tend to advocate for the scientific method /best practice method for any given task, and view earning money as the primary signal of one's status and usefulness to society. Their base tends to be less religious and more secular, primarily urban, and all tent to agree that the North needs to modernize in infrastructure and ideas if the nation is to move forward. Drachen Representative Union (Maroon - 17 Seats) This party is less about issues and more about giving a voice for the Drachen minority in Inoroth. Dedicated to preserving Drachen customs, language, religion, and traditions while embracing their Inorothian citizenship as well. Also push for more interaction with the Drachenstaat. Their base is obviously made up of ethnic Drachens. Burgess Trust Party (Green - 22 Seats) The Burgess Trust Party represents the interests of the large companies and complex industries of Inoroth. They champion relaxed finance laws, certain tariffs, free markets, fewer regulations, and standardization. They oppose anti-trust laws and the growth of unions. Their base is found among the higher echelons of the burgess class (esp. magnates in Rail, Shipping, Banking, Insurance, Mining etc…) and certain economists. Santissimo Union (Light Blue - 145) With a plurality of votes, the Santissimo Union is the largest single party and very influential but also fairly broad-tent. Because the party attracts both progressive and conservative wings of the faith, most of their reform proposals are moderate and party discipline can be an issue. The Santissimo Union are not so much a part of the church as they are politicians who try to use principles of the faith in governance. Pro-Nuncio and Pro-Monarch, but not absolutist, preferring a morally authoritarian but balanced government. They are concerned with social issues like aiding the poor, education, reducing the factors that lead to crime, pushing women's suffrage, and other morality laws. They enjoy broad support in both urban and rural areas, less so among Buoni Vicini and Secularists. Buoni Vicini Coalition (Dark Blue - 68 Seats) Essentially founded as a reaction to the Santissimo Union, the Buoni Vicini Coalition share most of the same positions as the Santissimo Union and coordinate often to get legislation passed. They are less fond of Il Nuncio, however, and are also rather unenthusiastic about using the state as morality police, preferring public awareness and social pressures to encourage god behavior. Their base is among Buoni Vicini voters. Union for Moral Progress (Light Green - 20 Seats) The third pillar of the "moral center", they are even more radically pro-social issues than the religious parties and also more secular. Fairly humanistic and seek to create Utopia because this life is all there is. Support prohibition, full-adult-suffrage, “gentle” eugenics, poverty aid, public works, improved working conditions, environmental protections, national parks, etc... With so many irons in the fire, they struggle to put enough momentum behind anything, however. Their base caters to futurists and idealists. Northern Alliance (Dark Green - 51 Seats) The counter to the Southern League, they are also regional/cultural party, tending to view the South of Inoroth as materialistic and amoral, and seeks to both preserve its own culture of community, contentment, and tradition, and to restore it in the rest of Inoroth. Support traditional, slower pace of life and value happiness over earning money. Their base tends to be more religious, rural/traditional, and believes that the South needs to take a hard look at itself and rediscover its roots. Five Star Party (Yellow - 72 Seats) Founded as an anti-establishment party, they are seen as an alternative/protest party for business-as-usual politics. Uphold five broad goals: 1.) Combat corruption and needless bureaucracy 2.) Create meaningful and safe employment for all 3.) Confirm access to human necessities for all, 4.) Create quality universal education for all, and 5.) Continue responsible stewardship of resources. When it comes to what measures would actually achieve these goals, however, they are less united. Their base comes mostly from those who dislike the conduct of politicians. Frontier United (Pink - 13 Seats) The single issue for this party is advocating to have the Frontier Marches accepted into the core of Inoroth as full fledged provinces, with all of the legal protections and citizenship rights that entails. Their base is mostly those who have relatives or business interests in these areas. Free Farmers of Inoroth (Pale Green - 78 Seats) This party seeks to protect and agrarian way of life in an increasingly urbanizing nation. They are pro decentralization of government, pro expansion of the silver currency, and fairly pro environment for the era. They oppose tariffs, collectivization, land reform, and monopolies. Their base is mostly poor and middle class farmers. Socialist Front (Salmon - 64 Seats) This party seeks to make Inoroth more egalitarian. Oppose on some level the monarchy, nobility, clergy, and burgesses, seeking to undermine and eventually do away with the class system in favor of universal citizenship. Support unions, wealth redistribution, and high taxes on the rich. Their base is strongest among unskilled urban workers and intellectuals. Liberal Independence Cooperative (Orange - 39 Seats) This party is essentially libertarian, supporting moral and market freedom and opposing authoritarianism. They believe that the monarchy, nobility, clergy, and burgesses all exert too much power over others, and seek to limit government whenever possible. Their base is eclectic and mostly people who've run afoul of bureaucracy at some point. Inorothian Republican Coalition (Light Grey - 15 Seats) This party is united in the vision of replacing the monarch with some kind of elected official, and little else. Proposed replacements run the gamut from nobles who would like to see an elected monarchy to proponents of direct democracy, and everything in between. Communist Party Inoroth Branch (Bright Red - 8 Seats) More radical than the Socialist Front, they aim to create a stateless society as soon as possible. They are the smallest party in the Commoner's House, barely exceeding the 1% rule needed to gain seats. Most of their thunder goes to the Socialist Front, who are seen as more realistic in their goals by leftist voters.Category:Organization Category:Inorothian Related